Abrogation of verses is an important concept to understand when studying the Quran, as neglecting this principle might lead to erroneous interpretations. It is a concept also misrepresented by anti-Muslim polemicists and even some Muslims.

The word “abrogation” (naskh) in Islamic terminology does not mean a verse of the Quran is cancelled or negated (nafi), but rather it means one rule has been replaced by another rule or a general rule has been made specific.

The general concept of abrogation has been established in the Quran, the Sunnah, and the teachings of the righteous predecessors. It was later developed into a variety of definitions and detailed interpretations by succeeding scholars.

When We substitute a verse in place of a verse, and Allah is most knowing of what He sends down, they say: You are but a forger! But most of them do not know.

Surat al-Nahl 16:101

Abrogation in Islam recognizes that one rule might not always be suitable for every situation. Far from Allah changing his mind, abrogation demonstrates the wisdom of Allah in legislating rules for their appropriate time and context. For most rules in Islam, there exist circumstances that warrant an exception to the rule. The righteous predecessors would often use the word abrogation in this sense of specification, exception, or clarification.

Ibn Abbas said the verse, ‘Do not enter houses other than your houses,’ (24:27) was then abrogated and an exception was given by the verse, ‘There is no blame upon you for entering houses not inhabited in which there is convenience for you.’ (24:29)

Source: Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī 24:29

The word “abrogation” has been used here in the sense of specification (takhṣīṣ) and exception (istithnā). Allah gave a general command not to enter houses without permission but then He made an exception for uninhabited houses. Thus, the first verse is general in meaning and the second verse is specific to a certain situation.

Confusion occurs because the word “abrogation” developed a technical meaning later on that was not the same as it was used by the earliest interpreters of the Quran. The righteous predecessors, such as Ibn Abbas and others, would use the term abrogation to mean a number of situations that did not involved the cancellation of previous verses.

I say: The general meaning of the righteous predecessors when using the words ‘abrogating’ and ‘abrogated’ is sometimes the complete removal of the previous ruling – and this is the technical term of the latter generations – or sometimes the removal of the general, absolute, and outward meaning, whether by specification, restriction, interpreting an absolute as limited, or by explanation and clarification. Even they would refer to is as exceptional and conditional.

Source: Iʻlām al-Muwaqqiʻīn 1/29

Therefore, when statements are attributed to the companions and the righteous predecessors in which they use the word “abrogation” or its derivatives, we should know that they were using the word in its linguistic meaning before its technical meaning and definition had been developed by later scholars. The word abrogation could mean specifying a general rule (takhṣīṣ), clarifying a rule (tabyīn), explaining a rule (tafsīr), restricting a rule (taqyīd), making an exception (istithnā), or setting a condition (sharṭ).

We should be careful not to transpose the later technical meaning onto its earlier usage and thereby distort the context of such statements. This misunderstanding causes many Muslims to claim verses are entirely cancelled when they are not at all.

scholars found ways in which the so-called mansookh verse was still applicable thus removing it from the definition of abrogation – basically they ended up demonstrating that takhsis and naskh are on a continuum writes:

The Quran has abrogated and oversees all divine scriptures. There will be nothing after it to abrogate it. What is within it of abrogating and abrogated verses is known to be few and Allah clarifies what is abrogated at the time it is abrogated… As for the Quran, despite the opinion of many commentators, it is not abrogated (by the Sunnah). Indeed, it is only postponed and delayed, or it is held back as vague until it is clarified in a necessary moment, or it is a directive that alters another directive before it, or it specifies the general meaning, or a general ruling has been specified, or one meaning contributes to another. There are many directives of this kind that they imagine are abrogated but it is not so. It is the Book overseeing all other sacred books besides it, and it is internally consistent.

Regarding specification and clarification, I say these names are types of abrogation and granting permission. If abrogation is removal of the original ruling, and this is specification and clarification of the verses offering exceptions, then it is only referred to as ‘abrogation’ as it involves removing the general rule; otherwise, it would not truly be abrogation.

Source: al-Ziyādah wal Iḥsān 5/298

The technical meaning of abrogation differs in the scholarly literature and there is not an agreed upon definition for what exactly constitutes abrogation. For this reason, scholars greatly differed in the number of verses they considered to be abrogated, such as Ibn Hazim who considered as many as two hundred verses to be abrogated, As-Suyuti who considered twenty verses to be abrogated, or Shah Waliullah who considered only five verses to be truly abrogated.

Nevertheless, the concept is valid and essential for interpreting the Quran, even though scholars tend to disagree on its exact definition and details. The classic example of abrogation in the Quran is the gradual prohibition of alcohol.

First, Allah discouraged the believers from drinking alcohol by highlighting its negative effects. Although people earned some benefit from alcohol through trade and entertainment, it was made clear that the harm in it is greater than its benefit.

O you who believe, wine, gambling, sacrificing on stone alters, and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid them that you may be successful.

Surat al-Ma’idah 5:90

Thus, the prohibition of alcohol came gradually over time. It is important to understand this progression so that we do not misinterpret the previous verses to think that alcohol is merely discouraged.

The wisdom behind the gradual prohibition was that Arab society in the beginning was not ready to abandon drinking alcohol. They needed to strengthen their faith in order to overcome their desire to drink.

If the first verse to be revealed was to not drink wine, they would have said we will never stop drinking. And if it had been revealed to not commit adultery, they would have said we will never stop committing adultery.

Even though the prohibition of alcohol is the general rule, the previous verses that allowed it have not been cancelled in the sense that they are without a wise lesson. They teach us that individuals and society must gradually wean themselves off alcohol addiction. In fact, we know from modern medical studies that it can be very dangerous for an advanced alcoholic to suddenly stop drinking.

According to WedMD:

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome is a potentially life-threatening condition that can occur in people who have been drinking heavily for weeks, months, or years and then either stop or significantly reduce their alcohol consumption… Severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms are a medical emergency. If seizures, fever, severe confusion, hallucinations, or irregular heartbeats occur, either take the patient to an emergency room or call 911.

Indeed, ignoring the wisdom of gradually reducing alcohol consumption could have devastating effects not only for the individual but also for society at large. The prohibition movement in America, which sought to criminalize alcohol consumption, failed disastrously because it came too suddenly upon an entrenched drinking culture.

The 18th constitutional amendment was ratified in 1920 and it prohibited the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcohol. This led to the rise of black market alcohol sales which strengthened organized crime and facilitated a catastrophic crime spree. The congress was eventually forced to repeal the 18th amendment due to this widespread unintended harm.

Hence, from such experiences we can appreciate the wisdom of the Quran’s gradual approach and we see clearly that, although the ruling of some verses was replaced, their lessons were not annulled.

In summary, abrogation is an important principle for understanding the Quran. It is often misrepresented by anti-Muslim writers and even some Muslims as a complete negation or annulment of verses, although the reality is that it involves the ability to distinguish which verses are general, specific, or restricted in Islam.

When interpreting the Quran, we must be careful not to take isolated verses out of context. The phenomenon of abrogation requires us to compile all the verses and traditions on a given subject and to refer to their scholarly commentaries before issuing a judgment from the Quran and Sunnah.